What Is A Soda Tax?

A soda tax (or tax on sweetened beverages) is a fee applied to minimize the consumption of beverages containing added sugar. Some of the drinks covered by the sugary drinks tax include energy drinks, carbonated beverages, sports drinks and non-carbonated beverages. The big producers of carbonated drinks like Coca-Cola regularly contest the idea of ​​the tax on soda. Therefore, in many countries, the question of the tax on soda is often the subject of public debate. The World Health Organization (WHO) together with the national medical associations act as defenders of the promotion of the soda tax. The main objective of a tax on soft drinks is to deter unhealthy diets and offset the increase in the economic costs of obesity.

What is a Soda Tax?

Berkeley, California

In November 4th, 2014, about 76% of Berkeley voters voted for the approval of the Measure D soda tax, which came into force on January 1st, 2015. It was the first of its kind in the United States. Measure D applies a tax of one cent per ounce to wholesalers of particular sugary drinks such as energy drinks, soda, sweet iced tea and sports drinks. Some exceptions include diet drinks, milk-based drinks, alcohol, fruit juice and meal replacement drinks. A study by UC Berkley in 2016 revealed a 21% decrease in the consumption of sugary and soda drinks in low-income neighborhoods around the city.

France

In 2012, a targeted tax on sugary drinks was introduced for the first time in France at national level. Following the introduction of the tax on soda, it is estimated that light drinks increase by about 3.5% in terms of costs. According to market research conducted by the Canadean company , sales of soft drinks in France decreased during the year due to the tax on soft drinks. The non-alcoholic beverage tax in the country applies not only to beverages with added sugars but also to beverages with artificial sweeteners.

St. Helena

The island of Saint Helena is a British surveillance territory located in the southern Atlantic region. The island drew attention to 2014 when it publicized its intention to introduce a 75 per liter tax on sweetened beverages containing more than 15 grams of sugar per liter. The tax was introduced on May 22, 2014 as part of several measures implemented to address the problem of obesity and the increasing incidence of type 2 diabetes among residents.

Importance of the tax on soda

In both developed and developing countries, diabetes rates have increased. In 2012 alone, around 1.5 million people died of diabetes-related causes. Beverage sugar tends to enter the body quickly compared to sugar from food. The liver and pancreas can be overwhelmed by sugar which can cause diabetes and heart complications over time in diabetes. Consumption of added sugars in beverages has been associated with high caloric intake, resulting in obesity and overweight.

What is a Soda Tax?